Smart Agencies

Portland Tech Companies On YouTube

Peter · November 3, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Did you miss the 2014 PIE (Portland Incubator Experiment) 2014 Demo Day?

Well, here are the videos from the class of 2014’s brand new tech companies. Put your agency hat on and think through how your ‘ad agency’ could play a role in your city’s start-up community. Why? Here are 5 reasons:

You need to be connected to what your neighborhood tech entrepreneurs are up to.
You will be stimulated by their thinking.
You could support / fund one or more.
You will make friends in the developer community.
You will learn how to build your very own “product’ so you won’t have to rely on your hourly rates to make a living …. forever.

You can see some of Portland’s leading “tech stars” and Wieden+Kennedy’s digital leader Renny Gleeson on how advertising agencies can participate in the world of start-ups. On this video right here.

What is PIE? FYI, Wieden+Kennedy plays a big role.

In PIE there are no scripts. We enable creative business-building.

Talented startups come to PIE to learn, grow, and quickly conquer obstacles. We pair them with the mentors they need, when they need them, to solve their unique business challenges.

Sound interesting? We’d love to see you apply during the next application period.

What the hell does an ad agency know about startups?

Well, we’ve been doing this awhile. Wieden+Kennedy helps PIE startups shape their brands and tell their stories. And sometimes W+K partners with startups to tell brand stories in new ways.

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Laugh, Cry, Drink…. It’s Time For Portland’s Roseys Advertising Awards

Peter · October 28, 2014 · Leave a Comment

It’s True. Portland Advertising / Digital / Etc. Agencies That Win Roseys Awards Win More Clients.

Many clients need the reinforcement of knowing that an agency has won creative awards . Hey, it is hard to tell what’s a great agency and what isn’t. Winning awards helps. So, go out and win some 2014 Roseys —– and win some new clients.

Enter / book a table for your agency HERE.

Buy My Book On Ad Agency New Business

Peter · October 20, 2014 · Leave a Comment

From The Land Of Self Promotion:

Buy My Book On The Art And Science of Ad Agency New Business And Change Your Agency’s Future.

Imagine spending only $12 bucks on Amazon for the paperback and even less for the digital version to buy a book that will dramatically change how you and your ad agency team creates and runs new client pitches and presentations. Imagine that after you’ve read the book, you will win more pitches!

Imagine not doing this.

No, don’t imagine that. Because, I want you to buy my book…

“The Levitan Pitch. Buy This Book. Win More Pitches.”

I want you to win more business, be happy and make more money.

Buy it here.

Why should you listen to me?

You might be asking… Is this Levitan Pitch for real. Don’t take my word for it: here are two reviews from two serious advertising industry dudes: [Read more…] about Buy My Book On Ad Agency New Business

How To Start A Creative Advertising Agency

Peter · October 4, 2014 · 8 Comments

I am occasionally asked…. “How do I start a great advertising / design / digital agency?”

Here are some videos that help to answer this question. There are more out there but these three videos should get you on your way.

Thanks to Source and Mirren.

The first is from London’s Steve Harvey. Here is how he talks about himself (hmm, Agency of the Decade, not too shabby):

Steve Henry was Founder / Creative Director of Howell Henry Chaldecott Lury, the agency voted Campaign’s Agency of the Year three times and Campaign’s Agency of the Decade in 2000.

Next, we’ve got Sir John Hegerty. Shabby? Not.

John Hegarty is one of the world’s most awarded and respected admen. Over six decades he has been at the forefront of the creative advertising industry from the early days of Saatchi and Saatchi to Bartle Bogle Hegarty, the global company he runs today.

In 1982 he founded Bartle Bogle Hegarty with partners John Bartle and Nigel Bogle. The agency swiftly became one of the most talked about and awarded advertising agencies in the world. BBH has won every Agency of the Year accolade and every creative award possible and has been at the forefront of the industry for twenty nine years.

Finally, here is Chuck Porter. I saw him speak at Advertising Week last week (along with John Hegerty) and he is rather, um, on it.

Chuck Porter is an American advertising executive, marketer and author. He is co-founder and chairman of the advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky and chief strategist for its holding company, MDC Partners.

My numero uno take on starting an agency?

Be distinctive as illustrated by a cartoon from my book, The Levitan Pitch. It demonstrates a key issue facing new and used agencies…. Sameness.

How To Run A Profitable Advertising Agency (2 of 2)

Peter · September 23, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Here is Part Two of my blog post on how to run a profitable advertising agency.

You might want to start at Part One. Part One also tells you, based on my own personal perspective of myself, why you might want to believe most, if not all, of what I am about to tell you.

13. Grow your digital assets faster. Bring on more technologists to leapfrog even early-adopter digital agencies. A lot of agencies are now behind simply because they didn’t start hiring more geeks sooner.

14. Pick a growth area. It’s not too late to become the smartest video or mobile agency (no one is yet.) Not even the big boys have mobile figured out. However, it may be too late to be known as the best “social media agency” given the sea of social experts. One more digital point, and I know that you know this — digital agencies have a higher multiple than full-service agencies. If you want to sell in the next three years, you best add valuable digital skill-sets.

15. Provide exceptional client service. All AE’s must know how to think like a client in order to anticipate client needs and address any potential issues before they materialize and metastasize. Consider sending your AE’s to an AE class. The worst call I could ever imagine is a client telling me that our account service sucked. It’s just too easy to fix. Fixing creativity is much harder.

16. Create an agency work process that is dedicated to profitability. Then stick with it. The ever-elastic creative process must be tamed. If you need a work process template ask me and I’ll shoot you one. [Read more…] about How To Run A Profitable Advertising Agency (2 of 2)